Malaysia's very own Hello Kitty? Bichi Mao's solo exhibition is kid- and cat lover-friendly (VIDEO)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — The only thing standing between me and being at the Bichi Mao exhibition at Menara GMBB was my knee injury and Grab fares.

Seeing that it would only cost a shopping mall nasi lemak instead of an expensive sushi meal I popped an ibuprofen, strapped on my brace and headed over to Bukit Bintang to check out adorable kitties, not real ones though.

I wrote about Bichi Mao last month and was curious to see how the exhibition was going plus the organisers did ask nicely.

Bichi Mao is basically a series about a motley crew of adorable cats sharing fun little stories and life lessons.

For many, Bichi Mao's social video posts were balms during tough times and the brand's focus on relatable and encouraging content kept the brand's fans coming back for more.

Bichi Mall world domination?

At the exhibition I met up with Wee Lim, who along with Olive Yong, are the founders behind Bichi Mao.

He asked if I'd heard about Bichi Mao before.

Bichi Mao must never know how many times I have watched the “I Boo Boo Ball” Bichi Mao TikTok.

We talked about the brand and how it was doing, its future aspirations and when the second Bichi Mao clothing line was coming out (by end of year).

Bichi Mao's dreams are big — to become Malaysia's very own Hello Kitty.

It's a good aspiration to have, after all Hello Kitty is not just one of the biggest IPs in the world (bigger than Disney IPs such as Mickey, Winnie the Pooh and Star Wars) but has become one of the things Japan has become synonymous with.

Think Malaysia, think Bichi Mao? Why not?

A homegrown Malaysian IP going big is always something you want to cheer for especially if it has cats.

Making adorable memories

In Malaysia, having sponsors is a lot more practical than self-funding, especially with larger events.

The challenge is how you balance that with art without selling out too much and diluting the brand or making the brand overly-invisible, leaving sponsors to question why bother then?

Bichi Mao had two months to walk that tightrope and design a space that would both showcase their art and merchandise while giving space to their sponsors.

How they managed it was to design their shoplot venue as a guided tour with little interactive stations where visitors would enter for free and at each stop of the Bichi Mao journey, you would have a fun little activity.

Like it or not, taking photos for the ‘gram or social media is a huge pull for not just cafes, but events and malls so Bichi Mao's event being a little tour with unique photo stops will be a draw not just for social media posts but people just wanting that digital token for memory's sake.

I realised the other day that the human memory is a fragile thing; flipping through old photos and journal entries, I found that I needed those little fragments to transport me back through time.

Wandering down the Bichi Mao lane

How was it like to tour the exhibition? It was an interesting mix of both a gallery as well as a guided tour.

Each little spot had a different sponsor, including Fujifilm Instax, soybean dessert makers Dáo, toiletry suppliers Seven Seas Amenities, beauty brand Alyssa Madeline and zine and risograph creators Bang Bang Zine.

Bang Bang Zine's participation was particularly interesting for me as I learned about risograph printing, which creates vivid images and colours normal printers can't quite replicate.

On to the experience: you start off at a little queue where groups are led in a few at a time, very necessary as space is limited.

There was the Fujifilm Instax booth decorated with a custom-made Bichi Mao backdrop where you could take adorable photos printed with custom decorative frame decorations only available at the event, as well as a lucky draw with the main prize being an Instax camera.

Then you can stop at another little booth, decorated to look like a tiny truck/vending machine where you can insert a special coin to redeem a sticker.

The truck is rendered in such a way you look as though you're sitting right inside the truck for a more 3D visual.

Moving on, there's a little dressing table with mirrors that is also uber photo-friendly (while letting you check your makeup in the mirror) and right after that is the gallery proper, with selected prints displayed on the wall.

There are two more decorative stops, which I would rather not spoil for you, because I think if you want to experience them properly then come on the final weekend and don't forget your camera or smartphone.

At the end of it all is a nice little merchandise display with buttons, stickers, totes, T-shirts, small plush toys, keychains, small prints and even handmade pouches with a free woven tote with every RM50 purchase.

My housemate, a Bichi Mao fan, asked for specific stickers but we've been friends long enough I knew the tote with an angry tabby and the caption “Don't Touch” would resonate with her most.

When I WhatsApped her the picture of it, she said, “You know me so well.”

The interactive tour is only available on weekends — on weekdays it is instead a calm gallery where you can admire the art on display.

For a first event/exhibition I think Bichi Mao had a nice start and the weekend crowd coming for the experience and freebies was decent, with enough staff to ensure there was a controlled flow of visitors throughout.

What was a pity is that Menara GMBB itself could do with more promotion as it is a potential vibrant hub for artists and those who love creating and I was intrigued by the various tiny exhibitions as well as workshops.

It is right next to an overhead bridge that makes the nearby Bukit Bintang MRT accessible as well as the Bukit Bintang main shopping district, with the trendy Citizen M hotel right across the street.

Come for the comfort cats, stay for the art displays and when you've had your fill of pretty things, there are so many other places conveniently within walking distance.

Meanwhile I look forward to more Malaysian IPs finding resonance in a world that needs more connection, not fewer and to plump, consoling cats on my social media feeds.

To keep up with Bichi Mao, you can follow them on social media:

Instagram @bichimao

TikTok @bichimao

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